Discussion for The Darkest of Rivers communal writing project

MW, Miles, Sgt.Major (and anyone else who wants in!) I figure we've got some time to kill, so we might as well use it to discuss what we want to do with our story.

My idea was always pretty general, that it would be really fun to explore the congo through steampunk/deiselpunk (or whatever we want to call steampunk that has extended past the confines of the victorian/edwardian era).

I like the suspected curse, but my biggest worry is that we'll end up with a story that runs much the same as a Scooby-Do episode, with us "meddling kids" pulling the mask of someone and saving the day simple as pie...

What thoughts do we have?

I just posted a very short story here about the last moments of my character's last vessel; I would think that other pirates (or 'Jungle Corsairs') would also be in the area, as well as privateers for the various people tryuing to oust the Belgians as well as for the belgians themselves, so That might add a bit of extra flavor. Perhaps a run-in or running feud with a band or 'fleet' of pirates?

Pirates are good...

it depends on how Y'all want to spin it out, as i said on BG in an OOC note from the 10-26 july I am going to either be on the road or busting my hump trying to get a bunch of delayed mant. work done on my place in NM, so will not have the option to get online often then ,so y'all are going to have to carry the main weight of the story during that time, my air ship is a Andrews patent design, a rigid hull/ aluminum skinned, Hydrogen/steam lift, with an unknown electical tech contra gravity/thrust assist( Dean Drive). by varying the input power to the dean drive, the pilot changes the ships relative boyancy and she turns, climbs or dives accordinglyby trading speed for aerodynamic lift she can cover vast distances,but it can be unsettling to the stomach ,as the Areion is continuuosly either climbing or diving to hold steerageway . think LighterThanAir sailplane and that is the Areion 3. given we may run into pirates and such like then swapping out the old Gatling cannon for something a bit more modern is probably wise, it and its ammo weigh in at nearly a ton and a half,(yes i like lots of ammo reserve), so it would make sence to load out with four maxims in .45-70 or Browning's in .50 cal with SAPI and HEI ammo if the Baron can fix us up.

As of today (8-14-2011):
How about the rest of the trip? what should Rafe stumble over on his way back to camp and the ship (if anything)? Etc.?

possibly a point of interest (disguised/disused rail line or air strip),leftover from the Great War? Miles

hmmm...Yeah, I was thinking maybe that, or a wreck from the assault on Earth from the last Martian debacle, either a Martian or an Earth wreck., maybe for a tie-in with the Curse angle.

Gah! I *finally* get my post finished, and BG is down... If it's not up before work, it wont get posted til tomorrow...

Synopsis, introduce all the swells, eat breakfast, and Abi retires with the ladies to give Tommy a chance to feel out the men without the womenfolk around

Once Sgt.Major has a chance to respond if he wants, we'll bring the group to the Aerion and get this excursion on the road! Also, I've got it as an OOC note in the post to go up, but all the supporting cast I put out there are up for grabs except Joe Raslo. I think he'll be fun to write, so I want to give him a go

As to what Rafe ought to find..... I'm thinking Martian wreckage? Or a secret base of Belgiums working with the Nazi types (no WWII, remember) against the will of the rest of Belgium and Belgium Congo?

how 'bout a rebuilt then wrecked martian war era machine, with German dressed bodys/skeletons left aboard. IE - no suvivors of the crew. mix of tech that only shows from inside.? Miles

Well, at least I got my post up this time, lol.